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Product design plays a vital role in new product development process. When a product development team designs a new product, it has to overcome so many factors and strives to excel all its challenges before finishing a product design to meet the requirements as expected. Even a professional designer with many years of experience will face so many hurdles to balance the influencing factors due to the continuous change in market needs and requirements.
Below are the lists of the factors which need to be considered by the Product design team during the design process:
Fitness for Purpose drives to the product design. Before designing a new product we should in a position to describe the functionality requirements and its essential needs in the market. On fulfilment of all its prescribed features on finishing stage it deserves applause. An additional features supporting the product design than its functional requirement will give extra credits to the product and also it will allow us to exceed its competitors in the market place. (Eg: Being Small in Size, Tata Nano gives an additional advantage of parking and travelling in small streets)
Aesthetics in Product design is a significant factor in developing a new product. The product which prospers functionally and visually will differentiate us from the competitors. However it is not easy to integrate our requirements and specifications in to a customer perceived product design, there arrives dissension. A detailed market research will give you the perceived customer value. By overwhelming dissension will result in the exemplary product. (Eg: shape, colour, pattern, size, decorations etc.)
Ergonomics in product design diagnosis the right product for the users. It deals with the human factors which are to be considered in to the Product design process. It will direct the design team on who the target audience is, in order to tailor the products which address their expectations, needs and the style of use. Health, safety, comfort and efficiency factors are to be considered with respect to individual as well as society. (eg: Mobile phone designers must be cautious in designing the placement of the users ear, mouth and how they will physically interact with all the features of the phone)
Quality of raw-materials used to manufacture a product is a major contribution towards product design. When we think about product design generally we all will focus on how to please the customer, However it is essential to examine the ease of manufacturing by exploring the availability raw materials with respect to cost and the manufacturing process associated with it. The Product design team must have relevant knowledge about latest materials, which are required to produce the product. They should accumulate information about required materials from primary and secondary sources. They must also find out the materials which are used by the competitors for their products. Raw materials results in shelf life of the product which will also increases the reputation of the firm.
Measuring the right cost in the process Product design in developing a product will lead you to take right price. Managers in firms who all selling products, makes worst decision about pricing, Process, technology based on distorted information. Most organizations find their problems only after their competitiveness and profitability have decline. Design an activity based cost system which will help us to monitor each and every activity without fumble. In some cases it may happen that the designer designs the product first and then the final price is quoted. Here the designer gets a freedom of designing the products. However, he must never over design the product.
Environmental Sustainability plays a critical role in product design process. Several environmental problems are originated by the pollution which results from the production and use of products and services. We are accountable for the environmental impacts caused by the products we design and commercialize. Considering environmental factors for the life cycle of the product is known as Eco-design. Eco-design Will improve your reputation of the company along with it may reduce the cost of the production of the product as well as your future cost that may incur. Since there are few barriers like convincing business to go beyond regulatory minimums, Time, Culture, Lack of agreed industry criteria/expertise.
Trends in Product Design are like all other areas of creativity follow patterns or trends in style. Usually people want to buy an updated item rather than old one. Designers can take edge of latest trends which is used to design products that fit into a specific market which has been identified by market research. Since people’s needs and desires tend to change rapidly it is possible for Product designers to exploit on these changes by upgrading products in line with the latest trends. (Eg: Cloth manufacturers use the changing seasons like summer and winter to encourage people to buy new clothes)
Durability of the product completely depends up on the planned obsolescence, use of product, market niche in product design. The durability of a product relies directly on the materials chosen, the manufacturing process and the quality policy. Having decided on the intended life span of the product, the product design team must define the targeted market and the use of the product. This should define the properties and raw material of the product.
Cultural factors in product design: Some products are targeted at different cultures and countries. A product received in one culture may not be acceptable in another place. The use of colour schemes is a good example of this. For example, In China, colours are categorized by their lightness and darkness. White is concerned as a pure colour and reflects honesty. Red is treated as good luck and a child can expect to be given a red envelope full of money on their birthdays. Whereas rest of the world, treat red as to represent danger and often used on road signs and other danger signs.
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